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Mike Guglielmucci, Todd Bentley… repentance starts with the leaders!

In my last post I tried to express the point — which I believe with all my heart — that the senior men of God around a leader who falls must be called to account. I know that’s painful and I know that could sound like a big call from a little guy.

On June 23rd, a bunch of the most senior men of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement gathered around Todd Bentley and — whatever it was they thought they were doing — endorsed, commissioned, blessed and promoted Todd in his ministry at Lakeland, Florida. If you missed it, here it is:

A number of leaders felt that a lot was wrong with that meeting. A lot. It amounted to Todd’s dad publicly handing him a credit card with no limit and telling all present to let him buy whatever he wanted. Many leaders felt this was not what the meeting was there to achieve, and did not want leaders who — implicitly — represented them, speaking on their behalf in such glowing fashion about Todd, and so fully and freely endorsing his ministry.

Among these is Dutch Sheets — the man with the name only an American could be given! — a man I have a great deal of respect for. His concerns and grief became public a few days ago — curiously, the same day all this stuff emerged about Mike Guglielmucci. Dutch wrote an open letter (which at present is plastered across the front of his site).

It is a long and impassioned appeal to his fellow senior leaders in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements in the US and beyond, and it MUST be heard by leaders here in Australia. In the hope that my little blog reaches some of them who may have missed Dutch’s letter in the midst of all the noise surrounding the Guglielmucci matters, I reprint a portion of it here.

I urge you to read it. I urge you to be prayerful. I remind you solemnly that this is a very senior Christian leader in public repentance. This is a man doing what in Bible times would have looked like a bloke walking around in sack-cloth and ashes, refusing to eat or bathe or smile. This is serious stuff, because we are in a watershed season for this branch of the Body of Christ. Please hear that, folks.

Here’s what Dutch wrote:

The fact remains, however, that we have failed the Lord and His people in many ways — not just with Lakeland but in countless other situations — and must repent if we are to be trusted in the future. And as you also know, no repentance is effective if watered down and couched in excuses, therefore, I intend to be brutally honest:

We, the leaders of the charismatic community, have operated in an extremely low level of discernment. Frankly, we often donâ€™t even try to discern. We assume a personâ€™s credibility based on gifts, charisma, the size of their ministry or church, whether they can prophesy or work a miracle, etc. (Miracles and signs are intended to validate God and His message, not the messenger; sometimes they validate the assignment of an individual, but never the personâ€™s character, lifestyle or spiritual maturity.) We leaders in the Church have become no different than the world around us in our standards for measuring success and greatness. This has contributed to the body of Christ giving millions of dollars to undeserving individuals; it has allowed people living in sin to become influential leaders — even to lead movements, allowing them influence all the way to the White House.Through our lack of discernment we built their stages and gave them their platforms. We have been gullible beyond words — gullible leaders producing gullible sheep.

When a spiritual leader weâ€™re connected with violates trust, is exposed for immorality or falls below other accepted standards of behavior, it does not exonerate us simply to say we donâ€™t condone such behavior. Those we lead trust us to let them know whom to trust. We have failed them miserably in this regard.

For this lack of discernment, and for employing and passing on inappropriate standards of judgment, I repent to the Lord and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.

We, the leaders of the charismatic church, spin our involvement and fail to acknowledge our responsibility when other leaders fall — all of which stems from our self-preservation and pride. Enough of the spin — weâ€™re no different than Washington, DC. Every time another embarrassing and disgraceful situation is exposed, the dancing begins. It seems that no one bears any real responsibility except the man or woman who actually commits sin. Incredibly, we even blame â€œrevivalâ€ itself — the pressures, attacks, weariness, the â€œrevival is messyâ€ argument, etc., saying it is responsible for the failures. This is disgusting. Those of us on boards of fallen leaders, those who helped give them a voice, put them on TV, published and endorsed their books (yes, I have), etc., are not exonerated simply by saying we donâ€™t condone the wrong behavior or that we didnâ€™t know. Weâ€™re supposed to know.

I donâ€™t believe anyone is expecting perfection from us — I know Iâ€™m not. Weâ€™re far too human for that. But we are expected to have enough humility to look the world and those who follow us in the eye when we miss it and say, â€œwe were wrong and we are sorry.â€

Our careless accountability has caused the body of Christ to be spiritually raped and abused. It has produced disillusionment and brought immeasurable reproach to our God and cynicism to His message. Concerning Lakeland, what was called the â€œgreatest revival since Azusa Streetâ€ has become possibly one of the greatest reproaches. We, the leaders of the charismatic church, are responsible.

For not accepting and acknowledging our responsibility, for caring more about our own reputation than Christâ€™s, I repent to God and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.

Our procedures and standards of accountability are incredibly inadequate. We have provided camaraderie, not biblical accountability. For those on Todd Bentleyâ€™s board who had previous knowledge of his marriage problems and said nothing, it was more than a mistake — it was reckless, foolish, and irresponsible. For those on the stage the night of his aligning and commissioning who knew and said nothing — ditto. For those there who didnâ€™t know, my question is, â€œWhy didnâ€™t you?â€ You were trusted to know. That is one of the purposes of public commissioning and the purpose behind the concept of endorsement. Iâ€™m not trying to point the finger; Iâ€™m endeavoring to get us to be honest about our failures — we have serious credibility issues. Have I ever laid hands on, commissioned or endorsed anyone without adequately checking them out? Yes, but you better believe Iâ€™ll be more careful next time! And we must not single out Lakeland. Weâ€™re all guilty.

What about the leader in my city who ran with some of the leading spiritual fathers in our nation — sincere and good men, I might add, and not all â€œcharismaticâ€ leaders — who sang his praises and helped build his stage — all while he was doing drugs and having sex with other men? But we shouldnâ€™t blame only the high profile cases — what about those of us who unknowingly have had adulterers on our staffs or appointed elders that turned out to have compromise in their life? Sounding familiar yet?

This is so epidemic that every member of the body of Christ stands guilty — what pastor or leader did you follow that turned out to have sin issues? What ministry did you support that was unworthy? There is plenty of blame to go around. The big question becomes not â€œwho do we blameâ€ but â€œhow do we fix this mess?â€

Leaders can live in sin — adultery, homosexuality, financial wrongdoing, drugs, etc. — for years without it being realized. They can offer completely unacceptable lifestyles for the body of Christ to follow and still keep their TV programs and lavish lifestyles. In the name of grace, compassion and forgiveness we have lowered the standard so much that often there isnâ€™t one. We have bought into the lie that true discipline is â€œshooting our wounded.â€ We have made a mockery of biblical restoration, making â€œministryâ€ — not healthy individuals, marriages and families — its ultimate goal. The fact is, integrity matters. No, we donâ€™t need legalistic, pharisaical standards, but we must have standards. For this lack of biblical accountability, I repent to God and I ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.

We, the leaders of the charismatic church, have built on hype, sensation, innovation, programs, personality and charisma. This has produced: shallowness; false movements; novice leaders — gifted but immature and untested; a deficient understanding of God’s word; the building of man-centered rather than kingdom-centered churches and ministries; competition rather than cooperation; humanistic, self-centered Christians who donâ€™t understand sacrifice and commitment; Christians without discernment; superstar leaders; a perverted and powerless gospel; prayerless and anemic Christians; a replacement of the fear of the Lord with the fear of man; and a young generation that is cynical of it all. We are responsible, not the devil; he takes what we give him.

For this compromise in the way we build, for giving the Church watered-down wine, commercial Christianity, a flashy but weak Church and hype disguised as anointing, I repent to God and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.

Galatians 6:1-5 is an appropriate reference with which to end this statement: â€œBrethren, even if a man caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one shall bear his own load.â€ NAS

My passionate prayer is that God honors this repentance — I believe He led me to do it and therefore, will — and uses it to begin a process of cleansing and healing for all of us. In order for the coming great awakening to bear maximum fruit we must have both, as well as a course correction that sets us on a path of wisdom leading to life. There is no doubt that past moves of God have been aborted, ended prematurely and contained error or heresy that have wounded, if not destroyed, many. The Healing Revival of the â€™40s andâ€™ 50s, the Charismatic Movement, Discipleship Movement and Jesus Movement are all examples. My heart is to help shape a movement, the fruit of which will last for decades — better yet, forever. And I have great expectations for us — I am not a cynic.

My passionate prayer is also that Todd Bentleyâ€™s marriage survives and thrives — that he turns his heart fully toward Christ and toward those with whom he is aligned, and allows them, as God leads, to put him on a path of complete restoration. I thank God for those who were touched by the Holy Spirit at Lakeland and while watching it on God TV and the web. May we all move forward into all God has planned for us in this awesome season of endless possibility.

This is EXACTLY the spirit in which — as best I could — I wrote my last post and the sort of sentiment I was trying to express. But I cannot say what a leader like Dutch can say, and I urge you to read this carefully, and the full version as well.

If you have been “close” to the ministry of Mike Guglielmucci or others closely associated with him, and you are in a great deal of pain, grief, confusion and anger right now, please read these words as spoken to you. I do not expect them to make things suddenly better for you, but I would ask you to understand that the Lord DOES know what’s going on, and he is doing a deep redeeming work in the entire movement. There is a pruning going on, and a sharp blade hurts, but it cuts cleanly.

(I’m hoping my next post will be a transcription of a wonderful message by Art Katz, which I mentioned in my last post. I’m doing that myself and I’m awfully slow.)

14 Comments

Being gay is not unhealthy or dangerous well lets see. 1. Homosexuals have staggeringly high numbers of partners.A study by A.P.Bell and M.S.Weinberg, Homosexaulities: A study of diversity among men and women(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978) found that 74% of white male homosexuals had had sex with more than 100 partners, 43% had had sex with more than 500 partners and 28% had had sex with more than 1000 partners.2. Sexually transmitted diseases are at epidemic proportions among homosexuals.Straight and Narrow? by Thomas E. Schimidt “It appears that at least 75% of homosexuals are currently carrying one or more pathogens…” Hepatitis: The Centers for Disease Control reports, “Outbreaks of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men are a recurring problem in many large cities in the industrialized world.” Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report, Sept 4 1998.Syphillis: The Archives of Internal Medicine found that homosexuals acquired syphilis at a rate ten times that of heterosexuals. [Issue 151, 1991]HIV/AIDS: “The Centers for Disease Control reports that, as of Dec.1999, “men who have sex with men” and men who have sex with men and inject drugs” together accounted for 64% of the cumulative total of male AIDS cases.3. There are few long-term relationships among homosexuals.-Thomas E Schmidt, Straight and Narrow?: “Only 8% of homosexual men and 7% of women ever had a relationship that lasted more than 3 years.”-M. Pollak, Western Sexuality: Practice and Precept in Past and Present Times: ” few homosexual relationships last longer than two years, with many men reporting hundreds of lifetime partners.”-David P.Mc Whirter and Andrew M. Mattison, The Male Couple: In a study of 156 males in homosexual relationships lasting from 1 to 37 years, “Only seven couples have a totally exclusive sexual relationship, and these men all have been together for less than 5 years.” -4 There is no evidence to support the “people are born gay” argument.In the Aug. 1991 issue of Science, Simon LaVay of the Salk Institute in San Diego published a study of the differences in brain structure between homosexual and heterosexual men. The study, though had two glaring weaknesses: it was based on a small group of 35 men, with 19 homosexual men who had died of AIDS and the control group of 16 were “assumed to have been heterosexual”. A freshman biology student could destroy this method of study.-In another study psychologist Michael Bailey of Northwestern University and psychiatrist Richard Pillard of the Boston University School of Medicine showed that homosexuality occurred much more frequently among identical twins thaan fraternal twins. But their 1991 study had a major flaw: all of their twins grew up together. The researchers did not compare their findings with a control group of twin raised apart, which would have isolated other factors, such as parental relationships and other family dynamics. Further, only about half of the identical twins studied were both homosexual; if it was purely genetic, the correlation should have been 100%.- Dr Edward Stein, homosexual activist and author of The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science and the Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation, critically examined the research of two major studies(Hamar and LaVay) which claimed a biological origin to homosexuality. In an interview with The Advocate, a homosexual magazine, he said, “There are serious problems with the science itself….. My training had taught me that a lot of what was being said was, well highly unscientific.” [The Advocate, Feb.1 2000,]-C.Mann, “Genes and Behavior,” Science:”Time and time again, scientists have claimed that particular genes or chromosomal regions are associated with behavioural traits, only to withdraw their findings when they were no replicated. Says Yale’s Dr. Joel Gelernter. ‘All were announced with gerat fanface; all where greeted unskeptically in the popular press; all are now in disrepute.”[1994’]-If homosexuality’s cause was exclusively genetic, it would tend toward being eliminated from the gene pool because those who have it would tend not reproduce.No doubt that homosexuality is a complex issue but one factor worth noting is that as Dr.Joseph Nicolosi writes, “In 15 years, I have spoken with hundreds of homosexual men. I have never met one who said he had a loving, respectful relationship with his father.” [Preventing Homosexuality: A Parent’s Guide].I’m not saying the homosexuality is a simple issue, but to say that it is ‘genetic’ is a cop out and an excuse to justify behaviour the Bible condemns. Paul how can you compare the condemnation of rock music by AOG churches to their condemnation of homosexuality? While I could see a possible reason for their stance back then given the image and nature of rock and heavy metal music the stance on homosexuality comes from the Bible. You want to twist it and find other interpretations of it to suit yourself and justify a deliberately sinful behaviour then you are going down a very dangerous path.

Dear Kevin, having come from a former communist country, I know how easy (and tempting) it is to twist facts, statistics and half-truths to justify your own agenda. “Preventing Homosexuality”? Please… are you suggesting it is contagious? And has it ever occured to you that if the society at large was more accepting, gays would find it easier to form long term, exclusive relationships? Easy to condemn others while we have logs in or own eyes! Next you will probably claim that AIDS is God’s judgement on the infidels and gays…

Paul please don’t accuse me of twisting facts, stats and half truths when you’ve done nothing but try to find some sort of version of the Bible that doesn’t condemn homosexuality. The Bible is clear on where it stands but you are obviously bent on trying to find something to justify a gay lifestyle. Besides if you don’t believe me the sources of all the stats and facts are readily available. Don’t blame society for problems that arise from a lifestyle that is wrong and immoral though I’m not surprised given that gays have always tried to legitimize it by ridding themselves of any responsibility for their actions.

And did you actually read all the facts or are you simply dismissing then as you’ve done with everything else I’ve said so far. We can agree to disagree but no one who calls themself a follower of Christ will continue to deliberately practice a homosexual lifestyle and neither will they enter the Kingdom of God.

Let me make a correction, a person who has accepted Christ will be accepted into His Kingdom no matter what, however my point still stands. A genuine follower of Christ will not continue to pursue a lifestyle that is sinful and condemned by God

Kevin, we simply also have to agree to disagree on whether one who calls follower of Christ can be actively gay. I don’t see any problem here. You just use “copy and paste research” and quote mining that may be good enough at a AOG youth rally intended to stir a homophobic sentiment, but is highly inappropriate in an intelligent conversation. And the Bible is far from clear when it comes to homosexuality – or are you saying you read your Bible in the original languages? It seems to me you are relying on translations which in themselves are already an interpretation, and you are replying on your denomination’s outdated dogma.

Kevin, only once in the Bible, in the Mosaic law, is there a prohibition of gay sex, and even then it only refers to men. Apparently God likes watching lesbian porn too (like pastor Mike!). Maybe it’s true that God is a man after all… All the other “clear words” of the Bible are not about homosexuality at all. And if you want to treat the Mosaic law literally you will have to marry your older brother’s wife if he dies so that he may have a son. And remember, don’t wear a jumper made from cotton and polyester – it’s an abomination to the Lord!

Paul you can twist the word of God all you want but you like all of us will have to answer for everything we’ve done and I find it ridiculous that you are basically calling yourself a christian homosexual. Just as I would find it stupid if someone said they were a christian alcoholic or christian thief. No one who has genuinely accepted Christ will continue to do this. You’re obviously so blinded by your own desires that you’ve resorted to using God’s word to justify sinful behaviour.

Kevin, it’s best if we stop here. There’s no point discussing things with someone who doesn’t even pay attention to what the other party has to say. I NEVER called myself a Christian homosexual. I don’t twist anything either. You don’t have to be gay to defend gay rights, you don’t have to be a cow to defend animal rights and you don’t have to be black to be against slavery. If I have to answer for everything I’ve done, I’m more than happy to do so now and ready. Are you?

I donâ€™t believe your sincerity, as you then go on to abuse me by â€œasserting my beliefsâ€ which arenâ€™t things I stated or believe. You persistently misquote others who disagree with you.

>> There’s no point discussing things with someone who doesn’t even pay attention to what the other party has to say.
You manipulator. EVERYONE has paid attention to what you have said.
That is why they have replied.
They have just disagreed with your opinion and you are applying the regular trick of â€œDisagreeing means you arenâ€™t listeningâ€.

>> You admit you are a biblical literalist who believes in a male God who is intolerant, hateful, jealous and monstrous, who likes to be feared and indulges with gambling with his mate, Satan (see book of Job).

I stated he is intolerant, but I donâ€™t believe the rest.

That is the abusive ploy of a BIGOT, to try and deny another their belief by falsely representing them.

Has anyone ever done this to you?

The attitude of Bigotry hints of a fraudulent cause, as the truth never needs to use trickery or abuse to assert itself.

>> If there is a God like the one you believe in, I would hate to be with such a God. I’d rather go in the lake of fire. At least I’d be in the company of good people! 😉

Sadly, you may be in the company of people that might displease you most: â€œChurch Peopleâ€ who were false witnesses of Jesus Christ and may have influenced your twisted interpretation of the God of the Bible.

Church leaders who preached some Biblical morals while secretly being involved in sodomy and adultery.
Leaders who used titles â€œPastorâ€, â€œApostleâ€, â€œProphetâ€, to intimidate, manipulate, and deceive people.
Paedophile priests who preyed on minors they accessed through their church work.

This blog thread starts off with Michael Guglielmucci who practiced such a double life.
He is part of a church system (Hillsong/AOG) that was fathered by Frank Houston, finally defrocked by his own son Brian Houston for being a sodomite for 30 years.
Kicked out the back door for playing with men and boys â€œback doorsâ€.
I wonder if any of them developed a homosexual lifestyle as a consequence of what Frank did to them?
I wonder if any of them abandoned the Christian faith because of what Frank did to them?
Matthew 18:6-7 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

Paul, you may have one thing in common with these people: No â€œfear of the Lordâ€ and a tolerance of sodomy.

Meantime, some of the people you may have affinity with now, will have reconciled with the â€œintolerantâ€ God, and be in heaven. Heaven is only worth going to BECAUSE God is intolerant (in combination with being merciful for authentic repentance).
Prov 28:13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

>> I’d rather go in the lake of fire

That is a negative possibility of free will.

Be assured, Godâ€™s decision about who goes there will be JUST, because he is perfect (Holy).

Psalm 98:9 He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Deut 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Rev 16:5 “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged.

Paul, the reckless way you speak about God is prideful.
The â€œfear of the Lordâ€ will always be an OFFENSIVE concept when PRIDE is involved.

If you read the Bible with a prideful attitude then it may just be an irritating book.

All sin originated from Satan being kicked out of heaven for PRIDE, and the disease spread from there through his influence.

When a person becomes humble under Godâ€™s care, then they can have PEACE AT LAST.
Prov 15:33The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

>> I don’t believe in absolute truths. I used to, and they’ve all failed and turned out to be graven idols.

Paul:
>> We simply awaken to our sexuality. Otherwise do you think it’s a choice?
>> Pleaseâ€¦ are you suggesting it is contagious?
Probably not directly. There are many reasons/excuses for sins. For homosexuality some possibilities are:

1. Sodomised (raped) by someone at a young age (eg. in the same way that prostitutes are often previously interfered with at a young age). The Roman Catholic church has been a major instigator of sodomy and promiscuity through its unbiblical doctrine forbidding itâ€™s priests to marry. That church paid settlements of $US 2billion in the USA alone in 2002 for sex abuses. Popes throughout the ages have been notoriously promiscuous, particularly before the Protestant Reformation â€“ Google â€œPromiscuous Popesâ€.
It is access to the Bible for the common man that ends the tyranny of evil church leaders, so how foolish you are Paul for disparaging literal interpretation of the Bible. The Bible is the authority of Christianity, not church leaders. The Bible came from God, not men.

4. Vulnerability from traumatic rejection/persecution by peers during development years.

5. â€œHanded overâ€ to homosexuality by God for DELIBERATE rebellion against the truth, as a warning to others.
God may â€œhand overâ€ by just removing restraints that he generously provides most of us (what â€œgraceâ€ is about).
Hint: anyone who gets AIDS still has opportunity to at least finish their days fully reconciled to God ON HIS TERMS, so a disaster can be changed to success.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.â€

If you deliberately SEEK DECEPTION then God may give you your hearts desire. Whose fault is that?

Not Godâ€™s.
â€œThe fear of the Lordâ€ is our responsibility towards being safe from harm.

Brian Houston of Hillsong and like minded church leaders are deliberately seeking and promoting deception towards a gospel of money, possessions, and â€œworldlyâ€ indulgences, therefore they will be â€œhanded overâ€ by God at some stage (unless they repent prior).

2 Cor 11:14-15 â€¦â€¦for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

â€œTheir endâ€ is the typical receptacle of the AIDS virus, I suppose thatâ€™s a co-incidence from the NIV translation, or maybe it was a clever inspiration by God?

Homosexuality can not be justified by genetics because the DNA code is software that ALWAYS REJECTS DEFECTS.
Evolution is a lie, we can not evolve forward of Godâ€™s design.
We can only DEVOLVE backwards towards extinction if we live outside Godâ€™s laws.
Adaptation does not prove evolution, it reveals clever design in the DNA code to enable a LIMITED degree of adjustment in response to environment.
Same sex unions and promiscuity of any kind is REJECTED BIOLOGICALLY by the diseases they create, attract, and spread. Venereal diseases often make people infertile.

>> Next you will probably claim that AIDS is God’s judgement on the infidels and gays…
Indirectly maybe.
It is a direct judgement by harmful mutations of small, invisible creatures called viruses.
How humiliating for proud, defiant man, who denies God the creator, to be struck down by ailments such as the common cold once his immune system is disabled by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
The Old Testament prescribed the death penalty for promiscuity and perversion, now it is executed by the AIDS virus:

It is the practice of sodomy and promiscuity in the homosexual community that has been the main transmitter of AIDS. Sodomy is a particularly unhygienic and dangerous practice because it mixes three compounds: semen, blood and faeces allowing mutations of new harmful viruses and spread of existing ones. Sodomy is mostly practiced between homosexual men, but in some countries it is common between men and animals.
Men who have sex with each other, or prostitutes, or anyone else who have sex with these groups, are NOT PERMITTED to donate blood for the New Zealand blood transfusion service.

The NZ blood transfusion service is as prejudiced and intolerant as God, when it comes to sex perversion and promiscuity.

Freddy Mercuryâ€™s life was cut short by AIDS on 24 Nov 1991, at age 45.
What a waste, now his music can only be played by tribute bands. He had rare talent â€“ see Wikipedia.
Shortly after his death, pop star Phil Collins said, “I have the greatest admiration and a lot of affection for him. But if you go around living a pretty much promiscuous life, as he did, you always run the risk of AIDS.”

Ezekiel 18:31-32 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Repent and live!

Donâ€™t harden your heart against God:
Prov 28:14 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

Thereâ€™s still time to change the road youâ€™re on:
Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

billcnz,
You are wasting your time and mine, and I don’t think I will grant you the pleasure of having any more of. You may continue to believe that the earth is flat, rests on pilars and leviathans swarm the seas and breathe fire (the Bible teaches you so!), but it will never change the fact that evolution is a fact and that it is happening all the time (Michael Dowd, author of “Thank God for Evolution” and a pentecostal pastor doesn’t have a problem with it either!). Perhaps you are the one who considers himself a (suppressed) homosexual Christian, because I never called myself that (prove otherwise!). You may even believe that all the Jews deserved the Holocaust because of their deeds, but I am not scared of your Mostergod of hate – I simply believe in a different one, God of Love. The Bible allows for a multitude of contradictory beliefs, you seem to have chose the weird ones, but you have every right to do so – we have freedom of speech and religion. As you see, I am not intolerant of other people’s beliefs, no matter how irrational, so calling me a bigot you miss the point again. Be blessed.

If Mike G. was a fraud he would never have had the courage to come clean and stop the lie he was living. If only the rest of us would allow God to truly be Lord of our lives like Mike has by his confession. So many men, I believe over 80%, christian or otherwise; are caught in the same trap Mike was, fortunately for him, God measures the heart, and HE IS THE JUDGE not us. God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.